“La salute ci fa belli” (HEALTH MAKES US BEAUTIFUL) is a campaign commissioned by the Azienda per l’assistenza sanitaria n. 4 “Friuli Centrale” that aims to sensitize consumers to the risks of using cosmetic products and treatments improperly.

What are cosmetics?

Definition of “Cosmetics”

Cosmetics are a category of products of wide consumption and wide availability; these are products that are part of our daily routine and have become products that we think we can not feel good or acceptable without. Just think for a moment of when we wash our hands, hair, take a shower … we are using cosmetic products, and the production and marketing of which are subject to specific rules.

A «cosmetic product» is: any substance or mixture intended to be applied on the outer surfaces of our bodies (skin, hair and hairs, nails, lips, genitalia) or on teeth and on mucous membranes of our mouth with the main purpose of cleaning them, perfuming them, change their look, protect them, keep them healthy or to correct body odors. A substance or mixture intended to be ingested, inhaled, injected or implanted in our body is not a cosmetic product.

The regulation governs mainly the aspects related to good manufacturing practices, the composition of the products and their presentation (meaning labeling, packaging and any other external representation of the product), safety evaluation, animal testing, to the required conditions for the placing on the market of cosmetic products and the information of serious undesirable effects.